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“TRIBUTE TO JERRIS LEONARD, A GREAT AMERICAN” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E2075 on Dec. 5, 2006.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO JERRIS LEONARD, A GREAT AMERICAN
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HON. RALPH M. HALL
of texas
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, December 5, 2006
Mr. HALL. Mr. Speaker, I am honored today to pay tribute to a great American, outstanding public servant, and an esteemed colleague and good friend, the Honorable Jerris Leonard, whose sudden passing on July 27, 2006, was mourned by his family and countless friends whose lives he touched. Jerris's life was devoted to God, family, country, and his fellow man, and he leaves a legacy of integrity and service that will long be remembered and appreciated.
Jerris received his undergraduate and law degrees from Marquette University, where he was president of the Marquette student body and was elected to Alpha Sigma Nu, the National Jesuit Honor Society. Following graduation from Marquette University Law School in 1955, Jerris began his career in Wisconsin. He was elected to the Wisconsin Assembly in 1956, representing the North Shore suburbs of Milwaukee. In 1960 he was elected to the state Senate and became Senate majority leader in 1967. In 1968 he was the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate, but lost to incumbent Senator Gaylord Nelson.
In 1969 Jerris moved his family to Washington, D.C., when he was appointed by President Nixon and confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. He served in that capacity until 1971, when President Nixon appointed him the first Administrator of the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration, a position he held for the next two years. Jerris remained in Washington, where he has been actively engaged in the practice of law and advocacy. Most recently, in 2005, he launched The Leonard Group to focus on legislative and lobbying activities. He also served on the Bush-Cheney Transition Department of Justice Advisory Committee, which helped the Administration find key candidates for the agency.
In recognition of his considerable accomplishments, Jerris was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from Marquette University Law School in 2000. In 1969 he received the Belle Case LaFollette Outstanding Professional Award from the Wisconsin Law Foundation. He is the author of numerous articles and was frequently invited to speak to groups throughout the United States.
Jerris was one of the original true conservatives, who championed core conservative values throughout his career and through his service in various organizations, such as Free Congress. His intellect and experience were invaluable to advancing the conservative agenda, and his engaging personality and enthusiasm for policy and politics were contagious. Jerris was a true statesman who made friends on both sides of the political aisle.
His friendships extended well beyond the realm of politics and career, however. He made friends in all walks of life. ``He treated everyone the same, and that is what I think made him special,'' said his daughter Kate Leonard. On the day he was to be sworn in by President Nixon as an assistant attorney general, Jerris gathered his children and instructed them that they were going to meet the President, but they were to remember that the man who parks the car is just as important and just as deserving of respect.
Jerris was devoted to his wife, Mariellen, to whom he was married for 52 years, and to his family. He took an active interest in the lives of his six children and attended countless sports events and other activities in which they were involved. In addition to Mariellen, he is survived by his children, Mary Leonard Ralston and husband David, Gib Leonard and wife Joni, John Leonard and wife Jeannine, Kathleen (Kate) Leonard, Francis Leonard and wife Kelly, and Daniel Leonard and wife Kelly, 16 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. He was greatly loved.
Mr. Speaker, many of our colleagues in the House of Representatives knew and admired Jerris Leonard. I valued his friendship and advice, as did so many others, and we will greatly miss him. It is impossible to fully grasp the breadth and depth of a life of someone like Jerris, who gave every project or responsibility his very best effort and who lived his life with boundless enthusiasm and compassion. He was a role model and mentor to so many, and he leaves a powerful legacy that will last for generations to come. As we adjourn today, let us do so in tribute to this great American, dedicated public servant, and truly great man--
Jerris Leonard.
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